Police beef up security in Ekiti over Deputy gov’s death

Following the death on Saturday of the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, the Ekiti State Police Command yesterday deployed its men in strategic positions in the state capital to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
This followed pockets of protests witnessed in the early hours of yesterday by youth members of the Famuagun family of the late deputy governor in Ado Ekiti, over the circumstances surrounding her death.
The protesters, who made bonfires and barricaded the roads leading to the Igbehin area family house of the late Olayinka at Post Office and Atinkainkain ends in the state capital, were of the view that the nearby Oja Oba Market should be shut down in honour of the late deputy governor.
However, spokesperson of the police in the state, Mr. Victor Babayemi, said the youth only staged a procession in recognition of the virtues of the late deputy governor, adding that the state police command consequently drafted its men to the scene to prevent trouble makers from taking advantage of the situation to foment trouble.
Sympathizers massed at the residence of her elder brother, Chief Olusegun Famuagun, the Sasere of Ado Ekiti, at the Isato area of the city yesterday to commiserate with the family,
Among the early callers at the Famuagun family house yesterday was the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who rushed back to the state from Lagos following the death of his deputy.
Amid tears the 81-yearold mother of the deceased, Mrs. Adetutu Grace Famuagun, was said to have asked the governor rhetorically, “Kayode, where is Funmi? Kayode, where is Funmi?”
Olayinka, who died at the age of 52 after a protracted battle with cancer, is survived by aged parents, husband and three children.
Other early callers included the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, state Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, Information Commissioner, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo, Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board, UBEB, Chairman Prof. Modupe Adelabu and the Provost of the College of Education, Prof. Francisca Aladejana.
Awe, in tears, said: “It will be very difficult for us to believe she is dead. She came to add glamour to the politics of the state. She added a lot of interest that actually made us triumph.
“She acted as a mother whenever we were in a difficult situation. She was not just a deputy governor, but everything to us. She made tremendous contribution to the success of the party and she was a pillar of support for the government. It pains us as a party, we never contemplated it, but who are we to blame God?” he queried.
Sympathizers also besieged the Government House at the Oke Bareke area of the metropolis to condole with the governor and the state government.
Among the early callers was the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was billed to attend a youth symposium at Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort yesterday morning.
Okonjo-Iweala, in the condolence register opened at the Government House said; “It is with great regret and a deep sense of loss that we learnt of the passing on of our beautiful, intelligent sister, the deputy governor. She was a true representative of the Nigerian women.”
Former Governor of old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, described the late deputy governor as “a rare gem. She will be missed by everybody because she was very solid. Her death is a great loss to the whole state.
According to the former governor, she was a good deputy governor and a good ambassador. We were sure of solid representation when we nominated and elected her. And we got exactly that.”
Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, who said everybody would miss Olayinka for her pleasant disposition, described her as supportive to the government, party and the state.
According to the Speaker; “As a medical doctor, I knew her condition was hopeless, but I never knew it could be so soon.”
To the Secretary to the Ekiti State Government, Dr Ganiyu Owolabi, her death “is a great loss to the people of Ekiti State and a great loss to humanity.”
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe, described the deputy governor’s death as a great loss to Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and Nigeria at large.
Ogundipe, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Femi Omolusi, said the late deputy governor was “a woman of high reputation and someone passionate about the development of the state.”
The opposition party leader prayed that God would give Olayinka’s immediate family members the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.